Things to see and do in Alabama

Attractions in Alabama

Adrenalin junkies

Enjoy heart-pounding action at Talladega Superspeedway (www.talladegasuperspeedway.com), site of Nascar records for speed and competition. The International Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum is adjacent to the track.

Beach life

Walk the white, sugar-sand beaches of Gulf Shores (www.gulfshores.com) or indulge in some serious beach resort rest and recuperation.

Delve back in time

Follow the history trail of the Civil Rights Movement that started in Alabama with Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Visit actual sites in Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma and Tuskegee.

Military history

Head south to Mobile, a major seaport, and touch living military history at USS Alabama Battleship Park (www.ussalabama.com). It includes the battleship, submarines, and aircraft from every war since WWII, even the Lockheed A-12 Blackbird.

Music and festivals

Visit Montgomery, Alabama's state capital and the first White House of the confederacy. The Hank Williams Memorial in Oakwood Cemetery Annex is a mecca for country music fans. Attend the sixth-largest Shakespeare Festival in the world held year-round at the Carolyn Blount Theatre (www.asf.net), and celebrate Mardi Gras in Mobile, birthplace of the Gulf Coast Mardi Gras in 1703 (www.mobilemardigras.com).

Play golf

Play golf at the Robert Trent Golf Trail in Mobile (www.rtjgolf.com), while the kids are entertained at the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center (www.exploreum.com).

Space exploration

Launch into a space exploration experience at Huntsville's US Space and Rocket Center. Sign kids on for Space Camp (www.spacecamp.com), visit the IMAX theatre, or tour the museum showcasing rockets and space hardware from the US space programme.

Theme parks and museums

Explore Birmingham, Alabama's largest city, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Attractions include the Alabama Adventure theme park (www.alabamasplash.com); McWane Science Center and IMAX theatre: (www.mcwane.org); the Birmingham Museum of Art (www.artsbma.org); and the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Tourist offices

Alabama Tourism Department